by Lim Kit Siang

Although the Penang police chief, Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi produced the SMS to the police on the death threat to South Korean K-Pop superstar Psy by his manager, he really did not explain the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib’s “yee sang” fiasco at the Penang Barisan Nasional Chinese New Year Open House on the second day of the CNY eight days ago.

Yesterday, Rahim showed reporters the SMS which Psy’s manager sent to the police on Feb 10 at 8.30 pm which said: “We have received some serious death threats that have said they will stop PSY at all costs in airport and hotel in Penang.”

The Penang police chief said the police tightened security by assigning 11 officers to ensure the Korean superstar’s safety on his arrival the next morning on Feb. 11.

However, why had the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah and Cabinet Ministers have to undergo the public embarrassment and indignity of having to wait forlornly at the stage for over five minutes for Psy to join them in the “toss yee sang” ceremony, only to sheepishly leave the stage when the “toss yee san” ceremony had not been completed – which is regarded as a bad omen by many?

The death threat, if genuine, were directed at Psy at the airport and hotel, but not at the Han Chiang school grounds – and the fact that nothing had happened at both the airport and hotel raises the question whether the “death threat” to Psy was credible, genuine or just a crank or prank joke. Did the police ever investigate the credibility of the death threat to Psy in Penang?

However, the manner the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister left the stage without the completion of the “yee sang ceremony” with all of them looking more shame-faced for having to wait publicly in vain for Psy for five minutes to join them, rather than in panic mode because of police alert of any “death” or “security” threat has only turned the episode into a public joke, as they are all caught on video uploaded on YouTube.

Originally, Najib’s “yee sang” fiasco was explained by the Penang BN organisers as having been caused by the MCA Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen who messed up the arrangement and caused the BN leaders to be “red-faced” because she unilaterally told the emcee “ad hoc “ to invite Psy to join the “yee san” ceremony although it was not in the programme.

Then there was a second version contradicting the first version, alleging that Najib’s “yee sang” fiasco was because there were attempts on the lives of Psy and the Prime Minister.

Rahim said yesterday that there was no death threat to the Prime Minister. There was also no evidence of “death threat” to Psy at Han Chiang.

Why then did the BN organisers hurriedly ushered Najib and other VIPs off the stage even before the completion of the “yee san” ceremony?

The Penang BN organisers are only proving the veracity of the saying that you have to tell a thousand lies to cover up one lie. -The Rocket